Spotify says distributor eliminated ‘Glory to Hong Kong’ amidst Chinese language authorities crackdown searching for to ban all types of the protest music.
A professional-democracy protest anthem, “Glory to Hong Kong,” was pulled from Spotify and different streaming platforms by the distributor — based on Spotify — amidst the Chinese language authorities’s continued quest to ban the protest music in all kinds.
The music is related to the 2019 protests and civil unrest. It just lately dominated the Apple iTunes charts after the Chinese language authorities sought authorized injunctions to ban “illegal acts” related to the music, its melody, lyrics, and all derivatives.
On Monday, June 12, the Chinese language authorities submitted a writ to ban the “broadcasting, performing, printing, publishing, promoting, providing on the market, distributing, disseminating, displaying, or reproducing” the music “Glory to Hong Kong,” together with on the web, for secessionist or seditious functions or with intent to violate the nationwide anthem regulation. Additional, anybody helping others in committing such acts referring to the music would even be criminally liable and would face fees from the CCP authorities.
On Wednesday, June 14, the music disappeared from Apple Music and Spotify, whereas some sources report that variations on Fb and Instagram additionally vanished. In the meantime, some variations of the music nonetheless exist on Soundcloud and YouTube.
The music had beforehand been banned in colleges throughout China, however the authorities had, till the current authorized injunctions, refused to say if the music itself was unlawful.
In June 2020, Beijing inserted nationwide safety laws into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, bypassing the native legislature, following a yr of pro-democracy protests and unrest. The act criminalized subversion, secession, collusion with international forces, and “terrorist acts,” — broadly outlined as disruption to move and infrastructure.
Fb and Instagram father or mother firm Meta, nor Google, Apple, Soundcloud, and different streaming platforms have responded to media requests for remark.